Improvement in fire-extinguishers



J'. BLOCK.

. vFIlwtE-EX'I'IBTG'TJISHEB..

No. y.178,101.

Patented May 30,1876.

Il will! |l l rml l N PEIERS. PHOT0.L|THOGRAPMER, wAsHxNGToN, n c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB BLOCK, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIRE-EXTINGUlSl-lERS.

v Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178.101, dated May 30, 1876 application filed April 6, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB BLOCK, of Gincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire- Extinguishers, of which the following is a specification My invention consists in constructing fireextinguishers inV sucha manner as to effectually prevent either the acid `or alkaline solutions becoming mixed`with the water in the generator, except at"`the very moment when theapparatus is to be used, at which time these two chemical agents are caused to combine by the simple act of depressing a rod, or its equivalent appliance, whose upper end projects through the` cap of the machine.

This generator or Water-tank has located Withinit two distinct and detachable chambers, receptacles, or vessels, of which the upper receptacle is an inverted acid-bottle, depending from the under side of the cap of the machine, and having at its lower end a cork, stopper, or plug, thatiswithdrawn when the previously-described rod is forcibly depressed.

`Simultaneously with this withdrawalof the stopper a stem at the lower extremity of the operating rod or shaft impinges against a downwardly-opening valve, applied to the upper end of the other internal receptacle or chamber, which latter contains the alkaline solution. Thecoutact of this stem opens said' valve,fand thereby permits thefdescending charge of acid to flow directlyY into the now open mouth of the alkali-chamber. This direct mixture of the highly-concentrated acid and alkali causes a violent effervescence to `take place withinfthe generator, and the re- `shown charged withfwater and 'the plunger depressed, so as to precipitate the acid into the alkali. Fig. 3 is a section through a portion of the cap, the latter being detached from the apparatus and inverted for the purpose of charging the acid-bottle; and Fig. 4 is an axial section through the alkali-receptacle detached from the extinguisher.

The principal member of my apparatus consists of a tank or generator, A, of any suitable size, and stout enough to resist the pressure that such vessels are usually subjected to. This -tank is provided with two heads, B and C, of which the lower one, B, is imperforate, while the upper one, C, is furnished with 4la neck, D, to receive a cap, E. v This cap is screw-threaded interiorly at F, to engage with the external or male screw of the aforesaid neck. Secured either to the upper or under side of this cap is a stuffing-box, G, traversed `by a rod, shaft, or plunger, H, Whose upper end carries a knob, button, or handle, I. Said rod H is slotted at J, to receive a key, Wedge, or other retaining device, K, which latter is capable of being readily disengaged from the slot Whenever it is desired to depress shaft H; but, if preferred, a screw or other appliance 'may beV employed for operating the plunger. The lower end of this rod is bent horizontally at L, and supports a suitable plug, bung,'cork, or stopper, M, of bottle N, said bottle being secured to the under side of cap E with spring-clips O, or otherwise, so as to permit said bottle being readily detached when it is to be filled with acid.

Projecting downwardly from arm L is a shortV stem, P, which occupies an axial, or nearly axial, position within the generator, said stem being adapted, when depressed, to impinge against the'exposed surface of a valve or lid, Q, that closes the mouth R of alkalichamber S. This lid is 'maintained in its normal or `closed condition by an internal spring, T, or its equivalent device. The alkali-chamber S is a tube or vessel `of any appropriate size and shape, and it is preserved in its proper position Within the generator `byl-a `spring holder, U, or otherwise. `Said vessel isprovided near its lower end with a `perforated head, V, Whose opening is covered with an upwardly-swinging valve, W, any suitable kind of gasket being interposed betWee n s f guisher is to be used. charged, the cap is screwed down upon neck valve or flap and its seat V. X is the discharge-pipe, having a controlling cock or faucet, Y, and a screw-threaded coupling, to which latter the hose is attached in the usual manner. Z are notches or channels at the lower end of tube S, to allow a free entrancev of water at the bottom of said tubewhen its lap W is opened.

My extinguisher is charged and operated in the following manner: The cap E is first unscrewed from neck D, so as to permitwithdrawal of tube S, which tube is then filled almost full with any suitable alkaline solution, after which said receptacle Sis restored to its original position within the spring holder or clamp U.` Cap E is then inverted, and shaft H tbrced upwardly and turned, so as to withdraw stopper M and swing the latter to one side of bottle N, as seen in' Fig. 3. This act leaves the bottle in such a condition as to be readily filled with any suitable acid; and as soon as this has been accomplishedthe cork is again inserted in the neck of the bottle, and secured therein by inserting key K in the slot J. The tank A B is now filled with water, but not so high as to overflow the mouth of tube S, as it is desired to keep the contents of these two vessels separate until the extin- The tank being thus D, and theapparatus is at once ready for use.

It will be apparent that in this normal position of the machine there can be no possibility of the contents of receptacles A, N,

and S being accidentally brought in contact with each other, because stopper M prevents escape of acid from bottle N, while the pressure of alkaline solution upon ilap W excludes water from tube S. As soon, however, as the machine is to be used for extinguishing a fire, the contents of these three receptacles are caused to mingle together by the simple actof depressing plunger-rod H, which can be done with the greatest facility after key K- has been withdrawn from slot J. The moment this rod is depressed stopper M is with-4 -circulation being sufficient to open flap .XY/V, as

indicated by arrows in Fig. 2.

The above-described circulation continues until the entire contents of the extinguisherareforced out through discharge-pipe X, in the usual manner, the cock Y having been previously opened.

One great advantage peculiar to my apparatus is, that no mixture of the acid or alkali with the water takes place until they very moment when the extinguisher is brought, into action, and, therefore, the sheet-metal tank A does not become corroded by the 'chemicals employed. This complete isolation of the acid and alkali within their respective vessels enables me to employ the most highly concentrated chemicals known to the art, and, consequently, the action of the extinguisher will be correspondingly prompt and energetic.

I am aware that extinguishers have been I constructed with separate chambers for acld,

alkali, and water; but such receptacles have always been external to the tank A, and connected therewith by a complicated system of pipes and cocks. This construction produces a very heavy, unwieldy, and expensive apparatus, as all of these vessels must be strong enough to stand the same pressure that tank A is subjected to. My arrangement does not increase either the sizeor weight of the extinguisher, because the two receptacles N and S are internal ones, and being subjected to the same pressure, both on their outsides and insides, they may be made of very light and thin metal or other materials.

I am also aware that it is not new to apply a glass acid-vessel to the cap or lid of an extinguisher, as several machines with such attachments are now in use 5 but in most of these the bottle is broken and destroyed when the apparatus is brought into action. This defective construction lrenders such machines unfit for use in the country, or in any other locality -where it is difficult to procure anew acid-receptacle after the original one has been broken. On the contrary, with my apparatus they bottle is never injured, and, therefore, a single acid-receptacle will last for an indefinite period of time, and as said bottle is capable of being readily detached from the cap it can be carried in the pocket to a drug-store and refilled at atriing cost.

As the gist of my invention consists in providing separate vessels for the acid and alkali within the generator, and causing 4the contents of these three receptacles to combine only when the apparatus is to be used, it is evident the construction of the acid and alkali chambers, and also the appliances for setting the extinguisher in operation, may bevaried to suit circumstances. In some cases it may be desirable to ix the vessels N and S securely within the tank, and to carry the operatingshaft H, or its equivalent device, either down through the bottom of the tank, or else out at the side of the same.

I claim as my inventionl. A fire-extinguisher whose generator or tank A has the acid-vessel N and the alkalif vessel S located within it, said tank being provided with a plunger, H, or other device wherewith an external force may be applied to cause the contents of said receptacles N and S to combine `vvith the uid'in the generator proper, substantially as herein described and set forth.

2. In combination `with tank A and its internal receptacles N and S, the plunger H, or its equivalent, for simultaneously opening the delivery end of receptacle N and the receiving end of receptacle S, substantially, as de scribed, and for the purpose stated.

3. The internal alkali-chamber S, when provided with the oppnsitely-opening valves or iia'ps Q and W, as and for the purpose stated.

4. In combination with the internal acidvessel N and alkali-chamber S, the plunger H J K L M, as and for the object stated.

5. The detachable and inverted acid-chamber N, secured to-the under side of cap E with spring-clips O, or their equivalents, for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination of tank A B C D, cap E, plunger H J K L M, removable acid-bottle N 0, and detachable alkali-receptacle Q R S V W, as herein described and se't forth.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set my hand. l

JACOB BLOCK.

Witnesses JAMES H. LAYMAN, J. B. CONKLIN. 

